Hi:o) My name is Samantha N. Meade and I'm 13 yrs. old. Hearing milions of cruel things that happen to women everyday, including on what Afghanistan is doing to their own women, AIDS, teen pregnacies, rape, and others, I wanted to take apart in "Girl Power". No, I'm not a Spice Girl fan, to tell you the truth I really don't like Spice girls even though they give (basically) the right idea of equalness. I really wanted to take a part in such important things. Seeing that there's not alot to do since I'm 13 and you may be required to be 18 or older in such activies, I made my own team of people under 18. At the beginning of August, I found out that a lot of women/girls cared about women's rights around the world. Basically half of the women/girls at my school are on the team, plus a couple of teachers (including my gym-teacher and pricipal). We all get together every month or so and talk about ways to stay and change things to give EVERYONE an equal chance. I would really like to know if you would have any ideas to take a part in such activities. Also I'm making a site as we speak and am asking permision if I could link your page to mine? Thanks - Samantha

Wow, what a great and inspiring note to find waiting for me at Feminist.com. It actually has been waiting for me for over a week--so I apologize for not writing sooner. I am in the midst of co-writing a book--and was busily trying to finish the last chapter, which is appropriately entitled "What is Activism." I say "appropriately" because what you are doing is a perfect example of that--one of the very points we make in this chapter is that activism begins when you get so angry that you have to do something about it. Another point we make is that most social justice movements begin as youth movements. So, who knows what you may be starting.....

Not only does your work relate to my work on this book, but it also relates to my work co-founding the Third Wave Foundation, which is a national organization for young feminist activists between the ages of 15 and 30. It's made up of young women just like you and I--those who want to bring people together to make a difference. One of the things that Third Wave does in New York City, is that we host monthly membership meetings that cover a range of topics. For instance--body image, sluts, human rights abuses (like those happening in Afghanistan), etc... Since October is domestic violence month and breast cancer awareness month, we try to keep our members up-to-date on these issues. So we really don't limit ourselves to certain issues, but really any issue that our members might be burning to learn more abot. If you like, I'd be happy to mail you information on Third Wave, including our "how to kits" as well as post cards from our past members meetings, just to give you some ideas. If you want me to, just send me your mailing address. Regardless, Feminist.com would be happy to have you link to us--and let us know how we can link to you.

Good luck -- and thanks for your inspiring example.

—Amy